It seems a very long time since we had our last service with Rabbi Leah when we had the wonderful quadruple occasion of Sam’s Barmitzvah and Leonie, Ollies’ and Lilys’ Kabbalat Torah celebrations. Rabbi Leah is now back from Israel and worked with young people at LJYNetzer camps throughout the rest of August. I know some of our children attended these activities. It’s great that they can meet other Jewish children and extend their thinking outside the confines of Norfolk.

Although missing Rabbi Leah, we’ve kept ourselves busy this summer. Some of us walked with the “Faith in Pride” group supporting LGBT groups in the Norwich Pride parade. Thanks to Adrian for our rainbow flag superimposed with a Magen David!

I’d like to thank our Ba’al Tefillah group – Emily, Meike and Joel for the services they’ve prepared for us over the summer months. Emily also led an Erev Shabbat service in the Peill Room.

We had a double clean up over one weekend when some of us worked with members of the NHC to clean up the little chapel in the Bowthorpe cemetery. I think I can reliably say that we got rid of many decades of cobwebs! At the OMH, a couple of days later, a small group of us sorted out our Sukkah ready for our mini open day on OCTOBER 3^rd. We’ve invited interfaith groups to this service. Sarah asked one of the neighbours if he could store our Sukkah and he obligingly said yes. Thank You!

Rabbi Leah is coming up to lead the Sukkot service so please try and make it.  Then she is changing her October date to come on the third weekend, October 16^th / 17^th. We’re also looking forward to seeing Rabbi Leah at Erev Rosh Hashanah.

Please see the detailed timetable of the High Holy Day services under Services and Activities. In preparation for the High Holy Days we are having a Selichot Service in the Peill Room from 8:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Please contact me if you would like to attend,

Annie

077641 70652

I can’t believe another month has passed and we’re well past mid summer’s day. Before we know it, we’ll be celebrating the High Holy Days! Do make contact if you want to attend.
Although I was away for the June service, I’ve been very moved by what people said about it. Thanks Meike, Joel and Philip; people were using superlatives to describe your skills on the bimah
– words like impressive, remarkable, sensitive to name but a few!
Then later in the month, Emily and Joel led an intimate Friday night service where we were given an opportunity to share a bit about ourselves. This really opened up the conversation and the people
who were there, all know each other better as a result.  We were pleased to receive a gift from Joel’s friend Barbara from Lincoln: a book about the connections between Lincoln Cathedral and the Jewish community in that city.
For Saturday, July 11th. People were asked to bring one of their Jewish artifacts and to talk briefly about why this object has personal significance for them.  People were very open and we had very enjoyable and interesting time. Afterwards,  Ruth’s Kitchen (Jerusalem street food) for lunch & a good old shmooze.                                                                                                                                            When Rabbi Leah is away, much as we miss her, it gives us an opportunity to do things a bit differently and in the process; I think we strengthen our community.
Later in July, the 25th to be precise, it is the Pride event & parade in Norwich.  This year there is a special banner for “Faith in Pride” and the Star  of David will be on this. We will be participating; Liberal Judaism is an inclusive Jewish Movement. There’s a picnic at Chapelfield Gardens at about 12:00 and then the  parade moves off around 2.00.
In August, things are never quiet. There’s an opportunity to work with the Norwich Hebrew Congregation (traditional congregation) on cleaning up the Jewish Chapel in the Bowthorpe (Jewish)
Cemetery. This is on Friday August 7th at 12:30. Then on the following Sunday, August 9th we’re going to do some cleaning up at OMH in prep for the High Holy Days. Lastly, on Friday, August 14th, Meike is going to lead a Friday night service. So a pretty busy week!

I hope to see you and there are opportunities to browse and borrow from our very extensive and well
stocked library!

Annie Henriques

Don’t hesitate to contact me on 07764 170652 or NLJC on 07460 849472

It’s a bit daunting to be the new chair of the NLJC Community. There are so many different facets of the role, but I’m interested in our community being a group of people who share their Judaism as a basis for friendship and creative thinking.

As it says in our Siddur: ” May we all find community and friendship, renewal of purpose and hope, a deeper understanding of our heritage and a sense of Your abiding presence.” (p485)

It’s about people contributing in a way that suits them so that our community becomes larger than the sum of its parts. In the six+ weeks since I became chair, we’ve already had people offering to give time up for our community:

• Sarah has offered to help me in getting used to my new role and that had already helped me to settle in.

• Abigail is running fortnightly Hebrew classes for children from her home.

• Ella and Joel are setting up a Hebrew Exchange to learn modern Ivrit based at the excellent Ruth’s Kitchen.

• We have purchased a book case for the Old Meeting House and Stuart and Philip will be transporting the books from (another) Ruth’s house very shortly.  Thanks to Ruth for accommodating her library in her home for so many years!

• Leonie has offered to help the youngest children in cheder

And last but not least, we are so lucky to have Rabbi Leah who gives us leadership and support in equal measure. We had a wonderful young people’s service on 9th May.  We plan to enjoy the summer months when members of the community will step up while Rabbi Leah is on sabbatical.

Annie Henriques 0776 417 0652        annie.henriques1@gmail.com

P.S. If you email Annie please do not forget to include the 1 or else another AH will receive the email and will be unhappy!  SB

Dear All

February is the coldest month of the year here and where I come from as well, just after the secular new year. Giving it a bit of thought we can realise that we do have many new years: personal, religious, secular, financial, NJLC, new beginnings, etc.

The secular new year, for Norwich LJC, brings about the renewal community membership subscriptions. Enabling us to have the many benefits of the support of our Rabbi, education, events, growing & publicising our Community, which we’re doing.

Tu B’Shevat is New Year for the Trees for which we had a cosy and warm event. A lovely, thoughtful festival of what we have and receive from our trees, which are so important, first fruits, husbanding our natural world… Excellent event led by Jess, with many different fruits and insights. Come along and find out next year. The year does go round & round, the days are now obviously getting longer & soon it’s spring. Soon to be Purim and Passover!

Norwich LJC has grown over this past year; we plan to continue to do so. We welcome new, interested individuals and families, and any former members.

New things such as Tikkun Leyl Shavuot, our open day/25^th anniversary, Kabbalat Torah have been organised. We hope to have some new things in the forthcoming year. Come along and find out about them. We have quite a few community volunteers; the volunteers make it a community. Many hands make light work. We do try not to give people too much to do!

We have also been mindful of our Norfolk wider community. Meike, one of our members, initiated a Citizens UK action group in Norwich regarding the resettlement needs of Syrian refugees. Also, as a result of the local Mosque being recently vandalised many in Norfolk have contacted them with sympathy and support, including from the Norwich Jewish Community through the president of Norwich Hebrew Congregation and myself. Multi-faith mutual contact and support also facilitates good community. We hope to continue in this way also.

Shalom,

Sarah Boosey

07460849472